Sushil Kumar relieved at IOC's decision

Indian athletes can finally heave a sigh of relief after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed in principal to revoke India’s suspension from the Olympic fold following fruitful talks between them and the Indian delegation — which included India’s Sports Minister Jitendra Singh and members of the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) — at Lausanne yesterday.

The move means that Indian athletes can finally play under the Indian tricolour and the IOA can receive funding from the IOC after the ban is lifted. The IOC’s Executive Board had suspended the IOA in December last year due to the latter’s failure to comply with the Olympic Charter.

Wrestler Sushil Kumar, the only Indian to have won two individual medals in the Olympics, welcomed the move. “I want to thank the Sports Ministry who helped seek out a middle ground and made the decision possible.

“I know the pride an athlete feels to be playing under the national flag. But for the last few months, we were being denied the honour,” the London Olympic silver medallist told MiD DAY. The wrestler also urged the country’s sports officials to work towards the betterment of sports.